Small Bass Strait Island Reserves Draft Management Plan October 2000 Low Islets Nature Reserve Moriarty Rocks Nature Reserve Foster Islands Nature Reserve Tenth Island Nature Reserve Judgement Rocks Nature Reserve West Moncoeur Island Nature Reserve Rodondo Island Nature Reserve Reid Rocks Nature Reserve Black Pyramid Rock Nature Reserve Albatross Island Nature Reserve Penguin Islet Nature Reserve Cat Island Conservation Area Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment Small Bass Strait Island Reserves Draft Management Plan October 2000 Low Islets Nature Reserve Moriarty Rocks Nature Reserve Foster Islands Nature Reserve Tenth Island Nature Reserve Judgement Rocks Nature Reserve West Moncoeur Island Nature Reserve Rodondo Island Nature Reserve Reid Rocks Nature Reserve Black Pyramid Rock Nature Reserve Albatross Island Nature Reserve Penguin Islet Nature Reserve Cat Island Conservation Area SMALL BASS STRAIT ISLAND RESERVES DRAFT MANAGEMENT PLAN 2000 This draft Management Plan for the following Bass Strait Island reserves has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Part IV of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970: Low Islets Nature Reserve Moriarty Rocks Nature Reserve Foster Islands Nature Reserve Tenth Island Nature Reserve Judgement Rocks Nature Reserve West Moncoeur Island Nature Reserve Rodondo Island Nature Reserve Reid Rocks Nature Reserve Black Pyramid Rock Nature Reserve Albatross Island Nature Reserve Penguin Islet Nature Reserve and Cat Island Conservation Area Unless otherwise specified, this plan adopts the interpretation of terms given in Section 3 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970. The term “Minister” when used in the plan means the Minister administering the Act. The term “reserves” refers to all the reserves listed above. The term PWS refers to the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. In accordance with Section 23 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970, the managing authority for the nature reserves, in this case the Director of National Parks and Wildlife, shall carry out his or her duties in relation to the reserves for the purpose of giving effect to, and in accordance with the provisions of this management plan. The plan may only be varied in accordance with procedures set out in Sections 19 and 20 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970 and, in any case, will be reviewed ten years after approval of the plan by the Governor. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Coastcare funded the development of the management plan with assistance from the Marine and Coastal Community Network. The project was overseen by a steering committee of Anni McCuaig, Leslie Frost, Christian Bell, David Pemberton, Kim Willing, Donnalee Young, Nigel Brothers, and Chris Arthur. Many people have assisted in the preparation of this plan by providing comments on earlier drafts. Their time and efforts are gratefully acknowledged. ISBN © Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, 2000 Published by Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, GPO Box 44A Hobart, Tasmania 7001 i Making a Representation - What do you think? What do you think of the proposals in this draft management plan? This is your chance to have your say on how it is proposed to manage the Bass Strait Island reserves for the next 10 years. Copies of the draft plan are available for inspection or purchase at a cost of $3 at Service Tasmania offices in Hobart, Launceston, Burnie and Devonport, and at the Hobart and Launceston offices of the Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment. Making a Representation Please make your representation concise and clear. It will help if you refer to the section numbers in the plan. Say whether you agree or disagree with the actions proposed in the areas which interest you. Wherever possible, give reasons and provide sources of information. Suggest alternatives if you disagree. Giving reasons, offering information and alternative suggestions will help improve the plan. Your representation should be addressed to: The Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment First Floor Franklin Square Offices Hobart, Tasmania 7000 How is Your Representation Assessed? The Minister will consider all representations made with respect to the draft plan and may make alterations to the draft plan having regard to the representations. As a general guide, and depending on all the circumstances, the draft plan may be amended if a representation: · provides new information relevant to planning and management; · indicates proposed policies and actions are misunderstood and need clarification; · clarifies or proposes policies and actions that would better achieve the management objectives; · identifies a lack of policies or actions for particular issues; or · corrects errors, omissions or lack of clarity. Similarly, the draft plan may not be amended if a representation: · contradicts planning proposals for which there is widespread support; · conflicts with government policy; · is contrary to the intention of relevant legislation or national or international conventions and agreements; · is among widely divergent viewpoints better handled or balanced by the proposed approach to policies or actions; · addresses issues beyond the scope of the plan; or · ignores or contradicts relevant established facts. How Much Time Do You Have? This draft management plan was released for public comment on 4 November 2000. Your comments should be submitted to the Minister by 15 December 2000. Confidentiality Your representation may be accessible under the Freedom of Information Act 1991. ii Bass Strait Island Nature Reserves - Draft Management Plan, October 2000 Summary The twelve small Bass Strait island reserves shy albatross is listed as vulnerable under covered by this management plan are IUCN criteria D2 because of its restricted significant breeding places for seabirds or seals habitat. and are highly vulnerable to disturbance by people. Rodondo Island Nature Reserve is significant, because due to the absence of fire, it supports Low Islets, Foster Islands and Penguin Island climax Eucalyptus globulus and Melaleuca Nature Reserves are significant as Tasmania’s armillaris communities, which are considered only Australian pelican breeding colonies and to be extremely rare. apart from one New Zealand breeding site, are the most southerly in the world. Pelicans are The major prescriptions of this plan will ensure shy, non-synchronised breeders who favour that the reserves will be managed to protect remote, undisturbed sites. Although their significant wildlife values and, in the case information about the population trends of the of Rodondo Island, its botanical values. In Australian pelican is sketchy, it indicates summary, they include: relatively high natural mortality, chiefly caused by the squashing of eggs by courting birds, as • the restriction of access to all the reserves well as relatively high mortality caused by unless authority has been granted; human disturbance (Marchant and Higgins, 1990). • the preparation and implementation of codes of practice for visitors to the reserves; Moriarty Rocks, Tenth Island, Judgement Rocks, West Moncoeur and Reid Rocks Nature • the preparation and implementation of Reserves are significant as Tasmania’s only educational programs about the values of Australian fur seal breeding colonies, which the reserves and the need for restricted provide approximately half the global habitat access; and for the species. Population trend data are variable indicating a small overall increase • liaison with Marine Resources, over the past decade, but numbers fluctuate recreational fishers and the commercial considerably from site to site due to the fishing industry to ensure, through Marine influence of storms on breeding success. Resources legislation, that: Black Pyramid Rock Nature Reserve is the only § human disturbance is minimised breeding site for the Australasian gannet in within 500 metres of nature reserves Bass Strait and one of three Tasmanian, and with pelican colonies due to their high eight national breeding sites for this species. sensitivity to disturbance; and The major breeding sites globally are off the north island of New Zealand. Black Pyramid § gill nets set within a 500 metre Rock is the largest breeding colony nationally perimeter of other nature reserves must with approximately 12,500 birds. Cat Island be constantly attended to reduce the Conservation Area is significant as once being potential for seal and seabird the world’s largest gannet colony with an entanglement. estimated 20,000 birds in 1908 before the population was systematically destroyed by fishers and then fire. It is also important as a site for the potential recolonisation of the Australasian gannet. Albatross Island Nature Reserve is significant as one of only three global breeding sites for the shy albatross, the other two being Pedra Branca and Mewstone off Tasmania’s south coast. With approximately 5000 pairs, it is the second largest colony after Mewstone, (~7,000 pairs) but still only about a quarter of the size of the original colony in the early 19th century. The iii Bass Strait Island Nature Reserves - Draft Management Plan, October 2000 Contents 1. Introduction 1.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................1 1.1.1 Location, Reservation and Regional Context...............................................1